Determining insurance coverage is a key step in recovering from a natural disaster. At the FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, staff from the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs began offering assistance to affected families this week.
Gordon Ito, the state insurance commissioner, talked to people at the DRC at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College to gain an understanding of how insurers feel.
"We always encourage policyholders to contact their insurance company to start the process. That's the most important step," he said.
Ito encouraged people to ask about what types of policies insurance companies have and what they provide.
He also wants displaced people to know that, if they have insurance, certain policies cover additional living and temporary shelter expenses.
This interview aired on The Conversation on August 18, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
